Improvement in middlings-purifiers



l. D. SMITH. Middlings-Purifiers.

N0.l47,99 Patented Feb. 24.1874.

Fig.2

ITNESSES.

, INVENTOR.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH D. SMITH, OF DUBUQUE, IOWA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO S. EDWARDS BOOTH AND GEORGE A. HIGLEY, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN MIDDLINGS'PURIFIERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 143,991; dated February 24, 1874; application filed January 3, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OSEPII D. SMITH, of Dubuque, Dubuque county and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Middlings-Purifiers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The nature of my invention consists in having, in the same machine, two screens in their respective frames, to which the peculiar and requisite motion is given by the use of two pitmen of different lengths with adjusting devices, as hereinafter more fully described.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the purifier.

Arepresents the hopper to receive the middlings, which are passed out at the bottom of the feeding-hopper N onto the upper screen by the revolving of a square shaft, 0, under which there is a gageplate, I, so arranged as to regulate, by the use of screws D D, the width of the opening 13, and thereby regulate the quantity of middlings going into the purifier. The air-chamber Q is so connected with the feeding-hopper A as to take air through a slot or holes, G G, over which there is a movable slide, G, by which the quantity or force of the air admitted may be under the control of the operator. The draft or power of suction is to be only sufiicient to take into the air-chamber the light fibrous impurities contained in the Iniddlings. The remaining supply of air, controlled by fly-gate L for the suction-fan H, comes into the air-chamber through the perfo rated bottom wzvzvfrom the main chamber of the. purifier, passing up through and around the screens from the spout conducting oil the puri= fied middlings. Nos. 1 and 2 represent pitmen supporting and suspending the movable frames on which the screens are placed. These pitmen are of different lengths, which gives the screens D D about the required descent, though the inclination of the planes of the screens may be varied by slotted gage-plates R R on both ends of the pitmen.

Motion is given to these screens by means of a crank or an eccentric on the main driving-shaft K. This motion is chiefly horizontal, but partly vertical, which gives the middlings, while passing over the screens D D, a double motion, partly horizontal and part-1y upward,

thus preventing them from adhering to the screens and clogging them, doing away with the necessity for the use of brushes, knockers, or blowers to keep the screens clean, in a condition to do satisfactory work.

It will be observed that this purifier has the advantage of passing the middlings over two screens, giving it a double capacity, without the additional expense of power and room.

Having described mypurifier and its operation, what I claim as my invention and new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination, with the screenframes and screens D D, of the pivoted pitmen l 2, with adjusting devices, and devices for reciprocating the screens, substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH D. SMITH.

- Witnesses:

C. H. BOOTH, JOHN W. WARE, Jr. 

